Portable roadway warning device

ABSTRACT

A portable roadway warning device comprising one or more rumble strips. Each rumble strip comprises a plurality of modular strip sections, each made of a polymeric material. Opposite end edges of each of the strip sections have alternating notches and tabs sized and spaced for engagement with respective tabs and notches on opposite end edges of other of the strip sections to provide a releasable connected joint therebetween. Pressure sensitive adhesive tape is applied to the top surface of the joint between the connected end edges of the strip sections to prevent the connected end edges from inadvertently separating from one another when the connected strip sections are dragged along the ground or lifted up to move the connected strip sections from one location to another.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/750,016, filed Jan. 8, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a portable roadway warning device comprising any desired number of portable modular rumble strips for use in various roadway conditions to alert drivers of automotive vehicles including both passenger vehicles and trucks of an approaching condition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is generally known to use rumble strips in roadway applications to provide a perceptible noise and warning vibration when automotive vehicles including passenger vehicles and trucks drive over the rumble strips to warn the drivers of an approaching condition such as a work site, construction site, slow speed zone, check point, toll booth and so on, without alarming the drivers and without adversely affecting the stability of the vehicles. Some types of rumble strips are intended to be permanently installed for long-term use while others are intended to be portable for use at work zones and other applications of relatively short duration. Portable rumble strips should be reusable and quick and easy to deploy and remove. Also they should have the ability to remain in place under heavy traffic conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above and other benefits and advantages of portable rumble strips are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by providing one or more modular rumble strips each comprised of a plurality of modular strip sections each having a substantially greater length than width, and top and bottom surfaces, and end and side edges, and each fabricated of a suitable flexible polymeric material such as rubber or polyurethane or other polymeric material with similar properties.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, each rumble strip is comprised of a plurality of modular strip sections each having alternating notches and tabs at the opposite end edges sized and spaced for overlapping engagement with respective tabs and notches at the opposite end edges of other ones of the strip sections for connecting the end edges of the strip sections together. Strips of pressure sensitive adhesive tape may be adhered to the upper side of the joints between the connected end edges of the strip sections to prevent inadvertent separation of the connected end edges when the connected strip sections are dragged along the ground or lifted to move them from one place to another.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the tape is durable enough to hold up under traffic and the adhesive is of a type that provides a secure bond to the modular strip sections and yet allows the tape to be easily removed from the joint between the connected end edges of the strip sections, whereby if the tape becomes worn, it can easily be replaced. Also the tape can easily be removed to permit the modular strip sections to be disconnected from one another either to replace one or more of the strip sections should they become damaged, or for ease of stacking the strip sections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one form of portable rumble strip of the present invention which is comprised of a plurality of modular strip sections.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the modular strip sections of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section through opposite end edges of the modular strip section of FIG. 2 taken on the plane of the lines 3-3 thereof.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view of the connected end edges of the two strip sections shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section through the connected end edges of the two strip sections of FIG. 4, taken on the plane of the lines 5-5 thereof.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top plan view similar to FIG. 4 but showing a strip of pressure adhesive tape adhered to the upper side of the joint between the connected end edges of the two strip sections.

FIG. 7 is a further enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section through the connected end edges and overlying tape of the two strip sections of FIG. 6, taken on the plane of the line 7-7 thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein the same reference numbers are used to designate like parts, and initially to FIG. 1, there is shown one form of elongated portable rumble strip 1 of the present invention which is comprised of two or more modular strip sections 2 connected together. FIGS. 2 and 3 show one such strip section 2. Each strip section 2 preferably has substantially flat top and bottom surfaces 3 and 4 and opposite side edges 5 and 6 and end edges 7 and 8. Also each strip section is desirably made of a suitable high strength, weather-resistant polymeric material such as rubber or polyurethane or other polymeric material with similar properties. The strip sections have sufficient flexibility to permit rumble strips comprised of two or more of the strip sections to be rolled up lengthwise from end to end for ease of transportation and storage when not in use and just as easily unrolled during placement.

Although the dimensions of each rumble strip section 2 may vary, each rumble strip section has a width that is preferably between 8 inches and 16 inches and more preferably of approximately 13 inches. Also, the rumble strip sections are of sufficient thickness to create a noticeable audible and vibration warning to drivers of automotive vehicles including trucks and passenger vehicles when driven over the rumble strip sections, but not so severe as to alarm the drivers, and without causing adverse effect on the stability of the vehicles. To that end, the rumble strip sections desirably have a thickness of between approximately ½ inch and approximately 1 inch and more preferably of approximately ¾ inch.

To provide a better grip between the bottom surface 4 of the rumble strip sections 2 and the roadway and to reduce possible skidding of vehicle tires against the top surface 3 of the rumble strip sections when wet, both the top and bottom surfaces of the rumble strip sections may have texturing 10. Also the texturing may be in the form of an open diamond pattern 11 as schematically shown, for example, in FIGS. 2 and 4, to provide a channel effect to permit the escape of water from both underneath and above the strip sections.

The leading side edge 5 of each rumble strip section 2 that faces toward oncoming vehicle traffic or both side edges 5 and 6 of each rumble strip section may be beveled to help eliminate any possible movement of the rumble strips caused by initial contact of the vehicle tires with the rumble strips. The included angle of the beveled leading side edge or both side edges of the rumble strip sections is preferably between approximately 10° and approximately 15° and more preferably approximately 12°.

As seen for example in FIGS. 2 and 3, each strip section 2 may have alternating notches 18, 20 and tabs 22, 24 in opposite end edges 7, 8 sized and spaced for overlapping engagement with respective tabs 24, 22 and notches 20, 18 at opposite end edges 8, 7 of other strip sections for connecting the overlapping end edges of any desired number of strip sections together to form a rumble strip of any desired length as described hereafter. This has the advantage that the individual strip sections are substantially lighter and shorter than an entire rumble strip, making it easier to handle the individual strip sections.

In one form of the invention, each of the individual strip sections 2 may have a length of between approximately 3½ feet and approximately 4 feet, whereby three strip sections joined together in end to end relation will be of sufficient length to reach across a single highway/roadway lane, which is typically 11 feet wide. Each of the individual strip sections may be made somewhat longer or shorter than that or of different lengths if desired. Also more or less than three modular strip sections may be used to make up a single rumble strip if desired. However, it has been found that modular strip sections each having a length of between approximately 3 ½ feet and approximately 4 feet can be easily stacked and shipped on pallets with the strip sections laying flat.

The notches 18 and 20 and tabs 22 and 24 at the opposite end edges 7 and 8 of each strip section are shaped so that when the opposite end edges of two or more strip sections are connected together as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and in place on the ground, they won't come apart. For example, the inner ends of the notches 18 of the notched end edges 7 of the strip sections 2 may have outwardly facing pockets 25, and the tabs 24 at the opposite end edges 8 of the strip sections may have similarly shaped outer end portions 26 for receipt in the outwardly facing pockets 25. Also the undersides of the tabs 24 at the opposite end edges 8 may have transverse slots 28 adjacent their inner ends for seated engagement with lower outer cross members 29 extending between the tabs 22 at the outer ends of the notches 18 in the notched end edges 7. This allows for the opposite ends of different strip sections to be releasably connected together by inserting the outer end portions 26 of the tabs 24 of one strip section at an angle into the pockets 25 in the notched end edge 7 of another strip section and then rotating the one strip section downwardly until the outer end portions 26 of the tabs 24 are in seated engagement within the pockets 25 and the slots 28 in the underside of the tabs 24 are in seated engagement within the lower outer cross members 29 as shown in FIG. 5. The lower outer cross members 29 may be in an integrally molded part of the notched end edges 7 of the strip sections. Also the lower outer cross members 29 may be reinforced as by molding a rod 30 (shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 7) made for example of fiberglass inside the lower outer cross members 29 and tabs 22 at the notched end edges 7 of the strip sections across a substantial portion of the width of the strip sections.

When the multiple modular strip sections are connected together and in place on the ground, the strip sections won't normally come apart. However, if the connected strip sections are dragged along the ground or lifted to move them from one place to another, the strip sections may inadvertently separate from one another. To prevent that from happening, a pressure sensitive adhesive tape 35 may be adhered to the upper side 36 of the joints 37 between the connected end edges 7, 8 of the strip sections as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The tape 35 should be durable enough to hold up under traffic. Also the pressure sensitive adhesive should be of a type that provides a secure bond to the modular strip sections 2 and yet the adhesive desirably allows the tape to be easily removed by physically pulling the tape away from the strip sections. This has the advantage that if the tape becomes worn, it can easily be replaced. Also, the tape can easily be removed to permit the modular strip sections to be disconnected from one another either to replace one or more of the modular strip sections should they become damaged, or to allow for ease of stacking and shipping of the modular strip sections on pallets with the modular strip sections laying flat.

Although the width of the tape 35 may vary, the tape is desirably wide enough to cover a substantial portion of the joint 37 between the connected strip sections but not so wide as to interfere with any hand grip slots if provided adjacent one or both ends of the strip sections for ease of picking up the individual strip sections from either end thereof. FIGS. 6 and 7 show hand grip slots 38 provided in the strip sections 2 adjacent both end edges of the strip sections that are not covered by the tape 35. By way of example, the tape preferably has a width of between approximately 5 inches and approximately 7 inches and more preferably of approximately 6 inches.

Any pressure sensitive adhesive tape that has the requisite gripping power and durability to hold up under traffic may be applied to the upper side of the joints of the interconnected strip sections to prevent inadvertent separation of the strip sections. However, known reflective pavement marking tape is preferably used, since it not only has these requisite characteristics, but also adds some reflectivity to the strip sections. Also, known black non-reflective pavement marking tape may be used if desired.

Examples of known reflective pavement marking tape that may be adhered to the upper side of the joints between the connected end edges of the modular strip sections to prevent inadvertent separation of the connected end edges when the connected strip sections are dragged along the ground or lifted to move them from one place to another are 3M's Stamark™ wet reflective removable tape series 710 and Brite-Line Technologies' Deltaline® temporary wet reflective pavement marking tape.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain embodiment, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification. In particular, with regard to the various functions performed by the above-described components, the terms (including any reference to a “means”) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (e.g., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed component which performs the function of the herein illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one embodiment, such feature may be combined with one or more other features as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable roadway warning device comprising one or more rumble strips, each rumble strip comprising a plurality of modular strip sections, each of the strip sections being made of a polymeric material having top and bottom surfaces and end edges and side edges, the end edges of each of the strip sections having alternating notches and tabs sized and spaced for engagement with respective tabs and notches on opposite end edges of other of the strip sections to provide a releasable connected joint between the end edges of the strip sections, and pressure sensitive adhesive tape adhered to the top surface of the joint between the connected end edges to prevent the connected end edges of the strip sections from inadvertently separating from one another when the connected strip sections are dragged along the ground or lifted up to move the connected strip sections from one location to another.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive tape is pavement marking tape.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive tape is reflective pavement marking tape.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive tape substantially completely covers the top surface of the joint between the connected end edges of the strip sections.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive tape is wide enough to cover a substantial portion of the top surface of the joint between the connected end edges of the strip sections.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein inner ends of the notches at one of the end edges of the strip sections have outwardly facing pockets, and the tabs at the opposite end edges of the strip sections have similarly shaped outer end portions for receipt in the outwardly facing pockets, and undersides of the tabs at the opposite end edges of the strip sections have transverse slots adjacent inner ends of the tabs at the opposite end edges for seated engagement with lower outer cross members extending between the tabs at outer ends of the notches at the one of the end edges of the strip sections to provide the releasable connected joint therebetween, to the top surface of which the pressure sensitive adhesive tape is adhered.
 7. A portable roadway warning device comprising one or more rumble strips, each rumble strip comprising a plurality of modular strip sections each made of a polymeric material, each of the strip sections having end edges containing alternating notches and tabs sized and spaced for engagement with respective tabs and notches on opposite end edges of other of the strip sections to provide a releasable connected joint between the end edges of the strip sections, wherein inner ends of the notches at one of the end edges of the strip sections having outwardly facing pockets, and the tabs at the opposite end edges of the strip sections having similarly shaped outer end portions for receipt in the outwardly facing pockets, and undersides of the tabs at the opposite end edges of the strip sections having transverse slots adjacent inner ends of the tabs at the opposite end edges for seated engagement with lower outer cross members extending between the tabs at outer ends of the notches at the one of the end edges of the strip sections to provide a releasable connected joint between the end edges of the strip sections, and pressure sensitive adhesive tape adhered to a top surface of the joint between the connected end edges to prevent the connected end edges of the strip sections from inadvertently separating from one another when the connected strip sections are dragged along the ground or lifted up to move the connected strip sections from one location to another.
 8. The device of claim 7 wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive tape is pavement marking tape.
 9. The device of claim 7 wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive tape is reflective pavement marking tape.
 10. The device of claim 9 wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive tape is only applied to the top surface of the joint between the connected end edges of the strip sections.
 11. The device of claim 10 wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive tape is wide enough to cover a substantial portion of the top surface of the joint between the connected end edges of the strip sections. 